The research is a study of the discretionary processes used by police officers when making dispositional decisions regarding persons who are defined by police and/or civilians to be a "problem". When dealing with such persons, the police officer must choose between alternative courses of action which may include any combination of the following: (1) ignoring the behavior; (2) providing counsel or suggestions as to appropriate sources of help; (3) warning the offender against continuance or repetition of the behavior; (4) removing person from scene, e.g., returning citizen to residence and/or leaving person in care of significant others; (5) offering transportation to a psychiatric facility as an option which the citizen may accept or reject; (6) referral for psychiatric treatment; and (7) instituting criminal processes against the person. Using observation of police practices and in-depth, open-ended interviews, this study provides information concerning which of the myriad of socio-psychological and social structural variables may determine police discretion/disposition in relation to emergency apprehension. Few studies have focused on this research question subsequent to deinstitutionalization; the changing social environs indicate the need to move beyond the previous literature. The study is a first step in providing new data and new insights needed to begin to develop a theoretical framework within this substantive area.